The University of San Francisco: School of Nursing
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G Nursing MSN

MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) for Non-nurse

Next Cohort is Summer 2013.  

Application deadline is February 15th, 2013!!

Designed for a candidate who holds a bachelor’s degree already but who now seeks a nursing career, the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program prepares students to become licensed RNs, with enhanced preparation for the role of a Clinical Nurse Leader. 

This entry-level nursing program is comprised of 68 units and is completed in two years of continuous study.  It is a full-time program with traditional classroom instruction roughly three days per week and clinical placements in local healthcare environments two days per week.  

The CNL is a masters' prepared nurse generalist who assumes accountability for the healthcare outcomes of a specific group of patients within a unit or setting through the assimilation and application of research-based information to design, implement, and evaluate patient outcomes at the point of care. The emerging role of the CNL is a national initiative in response to patient care needs and the current health delivery environments. The CNL is a provider and a manager of care. 

Program Objectives
Upon completion of the program the graduate will be able to:

  1. Design, coordinate and evaluate care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations; understand the rationale for care and competently deliver this care to an increasingly complex and diverse population in multiple environments.
  2. Provide care at the point of care to individuals across the lifespan with particular emphasis on health promotion and risk reduction services.
  3. Synthesize data, information, and knowledge to evaluate and achieve optimal client outcomes.
  4. Ensure that clients, families, and communities are well-informed and included in care planning and is an informed leader for improving care.
  5. Advocate for the client by taking action if decisions or activities are against the wishes or interests of the client; give the client the opportunity to make informed decisions about health care before it is provided. Serve as an advocate for the profession and the interdisciplinary health care team.
  6. Use appropriate teaching principles and strategies as well as current information, materials, and technologies to teach clients, groups, and other health care professionals under their supervision.
  7. Use information systems and technology that put knowledge at the point of care to improve health care outcomes.
  8. Participate in systems review to improve quality of client care delivery and at the individual level to critically evaluate and anticipate risks to client safety with the aim of preventing medical error.
  9. Delegate and manage the nursing team resources (human and fiscal) and serve as a leader and partner in the interdisciplinary health care team.
  10. Assume accountability for the ongoing acquisition of knowledge and skills to effect change in health care practice and outcomes and in the profession.

Admission Criteria

Admission to the program is based on an overall appraisal of the applicant's ability to undertake master's study and of their potential contributions to the discipline of nursing as evidence by the following:

  • Official transcripts from colleges/universities attended
  • Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher
  • Two Letters of Recommendation
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume
  • TOEFL scores if needed/Certificate of Finance/Copy of Passport (International Students Only)

Pre-requisites to the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) for the Non-nurse Only

The CNL program for the non-nurse is open to students who have a non-nurse baccalaureate degree (or higher). The following courses or their equivalent are required before entering the program. These courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better:

The CLEP test is the only permitted exception to the prerequisites.
Human Anatomy (lecture and lab)
4 units
Physiology (lecture and lab)

4 units

Microbiology (lecture and lab)
4 units
General Psychology or Introduction to Psychology
3 units
Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Psychology (Human Growth and Development)
3 units
Statistics
3 units
Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology
3 units
College-level Composition 
3 units
Public Speaking or Oral Communication
3 units
Nutrition
2 units
TOTAL PREQUISITE UNITS
32 units
   

Curriculum for the Non-Nurse

NURS 601    Pathophysiology and Pharmacology    4 units

NURS 602     Principles of Epidemiology     3 units

NURS 604    Instructional Systems Design    3 units

NURS 610    Health Promotion    4 units

NURS 611    Clinical Lab I    4 units

NURS 612    Advanced Pathophysiology and Pharmacology    3 units

NURS 614*    Healthcare Systems Leadership    3 units

NURS 618    Medical-Surgical Nursing I    4 units

NURS 619    Med-Surg Clinical Lab    4 units

NURS 622    Health Assessment through the Lifespan     2 units

NURS 623     CNL: As Team Manager and Leader

NURS 624     Fundamentals of Nursing     2 units

NURS 629*    Financial Management    3 units

NURS 634*    Nursing Research    3 units

NURS 635    Med-Surg Nursing II    2 units

NURS 636    Med-Surg Clinical Lab    2 units

NURS 637    Pediatric Nursing    2 units

NURS 638    Pediatric Clinical Lab    2 units

NURS 644    Mental and Community Health    3 units

NURS 645    Integration and Evaluation of Leadership Role    1 unit

NURS 646    M&CH Clinical Lab    4 units

NURS 648*    Healthcare Policy and Ethics    3 unit

NURS 651*    CNL: Implementation    2 unit

NURS 653*    Internship (Clinical)    2 units

*not considered pre-licensure courses

     TOTAL PROGRAM UNITS    68 units

MSN Projects Description

 

Tina Lemos, MSN Department Chair

For more information

School of Nursing and Health Professions (415) 422-2806.